gambling

[pleasehelpme]

Hi. I am 19 years old, and I have a gambling problem. My "special girl" tells me she doesn't want to be with someone who becomes a chronic gambler. My mom tells me not to gamble; she usually knows when I do, even though I lie to her face.

 

I play poker with my group of friends because it is fun. Gambling gives me such a big rush, I like it... It is better than sitting on my butt playing computer games all day every day this summer. It keeps me social, too. I like my "gambling group." They are all cool guys.

 

My gf told me not to go as much. She is afraid that I will lose so much money. I vowed to only do it 2 times a week, and spend only $20 with them max. I also set a time limit for how long I will gamble (midnight). Tonight, I broke that vow... it was my 3rd time this week gambling, and I put in $75. I got back to only down $5, but that does not matter. It could have been all my money gone.

 

I feel like I have disrespected my girl, my mom, and myself. She (gf) has only been with me for about a month, and I don't want to lose her. She also lives 1.5 hrs away from me, so she doesn't really have much control over this.

 

I need to stop this horrible addiction, but my friends call me almost every other day to go gambling. I can't help it... there is almost nothing else to do around here.

 

I am scared. I hope this is just a summer thing, but a lot of the group goes to the same college as I do. I feel like I have enough control to not gamble during the college school year even if they try to ask me, but looking back on tonight, I don't know if I have any control to begin with.

 

Can anyone relate or help me?

[Tony T]

You do have what can become a very serious addiction. Though you aren't losing a lot of money now, you are showing the signs of investing more heavily over time in this very destructive past time.

 

You need to get ALL new friends. Friends who won't call you up to gamble. These are NOT friends. They are people who need another body and another wallet to be a part of the action. They are NOT people who will be there for you when you need them emotionally. They are situation acquaintances who are also addicted to gambling and want you to tumble down with them.

 

Get rid of every single one of them and start making new friend. If you stay on this course, you could ruin your entire life and put yourself into a wheel of poverty that will follow you all the days of your life.

 

In psychology, they call what you're in entrapment. Basically, you feel that each day is the day you will "hit it big." OK, one day you may hit it big...but all that will do is recoup SOME of your daily losses. Cut your losses short now and get away from this stuff.

 

You have passed the first hurdle by admitting you have a problem. Please go to this following link, look over the site, and get the help you need to get out of this terrible syndrome you are in now ---------> http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

 

For the sake of your future, the people you love you, and your own mental health, let the your last gambling experience be the last you'll ever take part in and the last time you'll ever see the people you THINK are your friends....no way they are!!! They are just fellow addicts...just like if you went over a shot up cocaine with them. Same deal. I promise, you stop gambling with them and you'll never hear from them again. That's not how friends operate.